Kazekage Gaara
by Jaeger Swift
Summary: Set after the chunin exams gaara has to come face to face with his monster and learn to be the great Kazekage he knew he could be.
1. Chapter 1

The dawn sun rose clear and sharp warming the brisk air slowly. As the air heated, all living things started to awake. The sun touched Gaara's face. He had been asleep for the first time in years. He stirred slightly and his head turned to face the window. His eyes opened a slit. Such a beautiful morning. What a rotten time to be laid up in the hospital. The damage was far greater then they expected. Sasuke had collapsed his right lung and disabled that arm. On top of it all those fights were not a good idea. But the thing inside of him demanded that they die. The strain of letting it loose had wreaked havoc on his already weakened body. He had to have extensive surgery to repair his arm and lung. He had to be put under heavy sedatives the whole time. As he looked out the window he saw a black and red butterfly float past. It seemed to pause every now and then as if pondering its next step. Then it was gone from his sight. He felt incredibly ill and weak.

The door to his room opened a crack. He knew this because he felt the slight breeze. "You might as well come in," he speaks out loud. A tuft of blonde hair peeked around the corner before the face of his sister Temari. "Hi Gaara good morning.", She greets cheerfully. She came into the room with Kankuro behind her. She leaned down and kissed his love symbol. His skin under the symbol twitched at the touch. He gazed up into her eyes curiously. He had been pondering the all important question for days now. What was love? How did one know they were feeling love? What were the symptoms? He now gazed at Temari and thought back on all the times he had been around her. She seemed genuinely happy to be near him. He glanced at Kankuro. He seemed different . He no longer averted Gaara's gaze as he looked at him. It would seem to him that they were no longer afraid of him. Then it came back to him. All in a rush.

He had been involved in the Chunin Exams. He had been ordered to fight Sasuke among other things. During the final fight something unexpected had occurred. He had in initiated his Ultimate Defense Jutsu and sat there warm and cozy in his sand ball. Quite safe from all harm and he was releasing his inner beast when he heard a chirping noise. Not just any chirping noise, but what sounded like dozens of them. He ignored it and began talking to and calming his monster. Then it struck. With the force of a concentrated blade he felt a sharp twinge just below his right collarbone. Then warm sticky wetness flowing from the spot where he had felt the sharp twinge. He was startled out of his reverie with a shocking revelation. He, whom had been protected by the sand all his life. He had never even had a scratch. Now he was seriously wounded. And the blood. It was his blood.

He screamed, he knew he did. Then it all went black for a while. He remembers blacking out as the giant snakes started attacking the village. When he came too the thing inside of him had awakened and nearly took over then. He knew he was being pursued so he allowed his sub consciousness to slip so his monster could take over. Then as he transformed into the beast he remembers it using his body and voice to threaten those around him. He watched from inside his mind as the monster tried to kill everyone around him. Then much to his surprise someone named Naruto beat his monster and he was forced to consciousness. He watched as this Naruto crawled towards him to kill him. It occurred to him that if his victims did not want to die then he did not want to either. He panicked. It brought up memories of his past, of his childhood.

He didn't remember much about the conversation but he was still here so he must have convinced Naruto to leave him alone. Now he was recovering in one of the four rooms of the hospital in Sunagakure. He looks over at Temari, "why are you here?," She jumped a little uneasily at his words. "I'm here to see you of course," she smiles shakily. He narrows his eyes at them. He feels the slight satisfaction of making Kankuro jump. "Okay okay okay," she laughs nervously," I have bad news about father." Kankuro sighs and says," He's dead. Has been for awhile now. The whole Chuinin thing? Someone was impersonating him." He could feel his whole body go cold. He didn't much care for his father. Matter of fact he had been trying to kill his ill begotten offspring for 6 years now. What mattered most to Gaara was that his father was dead and he wasn't the one to do it. Also he didn't like being ordered around by strangers. Now he could feel anger replace the numbness of shock.

As the days past he often found himself bored. He inwardly blamed Shukaku for his predicament. On the day of his release he wandered into the desert and traveled to his favorite oasis. There he sat and meditated for hours as he awoke his inner self. He found himself inside if his own mind and confronting the beast. Shukaku was a mighty sand wraith whom inhabited his body and took out its bloodthirsty urges using his Gaara's body. "You," he angrily cried out towards Shukaku. It turned to look at him. "What do you want you brat?" it snarled. It lowered its muzzle towards the ground where he stood defiantly confronting his monster.

"You ruined my life." he snarls angrily at the monster, " I'm no longer running away from you so what are you going to do about it?" "you dare come in here and threaten and bully me?" it responds with sarcastic surprise in its voice. " I could gobble you up right now little man." it answers menacingly. "Go ahead do your worst. You'll just kill us both. At least then my family would be safe." The words felt foreign coming off Gaara's tongue as he spoke them. Her had never before put his trust and love in his family before. "Your bluffing!" the thing sounded stunned. He solemnly shakes his head no. "Why do you want to protect them so bad?" Gaara takes a moment to answer. "They are all I have. And something is better than nothing. Besides they really love me despite all that I've done. Look how hard they tried to protect me from sasuke. I did a lot of thinking in that hospital room. And you know what?"

It shakes his head no. "If you keep making me kill I promise to take us both out." Its eyes widened. "you wouldn't" it says in a dry voice. "I would to protect the ones I love." His monster seemed to shrink back at the radiating waves of love coming off Gaara. Then the most amazing thing occurred. It sank to the ground and assumed a human form. Gaara had never seen this monster in any other form other than Tanuki. What stood before him now was a middle aged man with medium khaki colored hair. He appeared older than he really was and had soft gray eyes. "Gaara." he speaks softly and holds his arms out. Gaara was startled by the change in his monster. Now what stood before him was very human and so frail looking. After hesitation he enters the embrace of his spirit. All goes black as the mans arms wrap around him.

The sun was low in the sky. Gaara's lips were parched. He did not know how long he had laid there. A tremendous rumbling in his tummy made him sit up. His head swam and he felt dizzy. He looked around. He was sitting farther from his oasis than he ever had been. Somehow he had been deposited in the very depths and wilderness of the desert. He looked around and spotted a cactus with a very large hole in it. That cactus had always been the marker to find his oasis. A family of burrowing owls had lived there. Now it was empty. He silently moves past it and looks around. His next indicator that he was heading in the right direction was a lump of some kind of black rock. It sat at the base of an enormous sand dune. As he trudged over one sand dune he quickly spotted the large sand dune. At the base glittered faintly the mirror like black stone half hidden by the sand.

He staggers down the dune than collapses at the base. He had been weak only once before and now here he was weak again. How long had he been out? Then he felt his body gently lifting and before he knew it he was at his oasis once more. He looked just in time to catch a glimpse of Sand retreating back into his gourd. Shukaku had saved him. Staggered by the fact that he was saved by what was inside him he crawls weakly to the water and slowly takes a sip. He replenished his mouth with more cool water and then ha lay back upon a rock. He closes his eyes and sleeps peacefully.

A noise nearby awoke him from a dead sleep hours later. He looks around to see pitch black all around him and he felt the sharp stinging feeling of the cold desert air. Suddenly he could not stop shivering. He got up and tried to walk. The cold air around him made him feel like he was traveling through ice water. He moved sluggishly and without direction. Soon the hours passed. The sun slowly rose and panic touched his heart. He had never been lost in the desert before. Now he was hopelessly lost and had no food. And who knows how long he had been out of it before. He may have been passed out for a week or more.

A couple of days pass before he sees any sigh of life as he wanders aimlessly through the desert. Stopping at every watering hole helped him live and Shukaku had been trying to help with food. Using his sand abilities he would catch Gaara food and cook it with really hot sand. This way he had some food in his belly. He had been lost for nearly a week when his body abruptly gives out. He collapses in the sand and his breathing was very ragged and shallow. Looking up he saw the blurry images of his family in the distance. He struggled to be close to them and as he moved closer he saw his father and Naruto as well. They stayed a good distance away from him. Gaara cried out to them. Then his whole world went black The whole time Shukaku agonized over Gaara's fate. Once he passed out he was able to take control. Possessing his body he made Gaara sit up. He aimed Gaara's face at the sky and using his sand he shot pillars of red and black sand up into the sky. He twisted them together and made a huge column. Any rescue party would see it from miles away. He just hoped that they got there in time.

* * *

He had been missing for over a week. Temari had nearly worried herself to death over what could have happened to Gaara. He had just gotten out of the hospital. He wasn't completely recovered yet. Looking around she saw the enormous column of red/black sand snaking its way up into the sky. Turning she shouts," This way!" She leaps across the back of the sturdy desert horse she had been riding. She turns the stallion and swiftly but gently banged her heels against his sides. Rearing he tears off at a gallop before anyone else can even reach their horses. She enjoys the feeling of the brisk wind on her face and she remembers the last time she saw Gaara.

He was due to leave the hospital the next day and she had been in his room all night. Once he awoke she tried to show him as much love as possible. He didn't seem to take to it much and he actually blushed a little when she kissed him on his cheek. She smiled and made conversation and let the happiness she felt out in her voice. He listened at first. Then she remembers the conversation that Led to him opening up and talking back to her. She had been discussing what happened to their father when she said," Good riddance to him anyway. What with the way he treated you I'm surprised you didn't kill him." She could feel his eyes gaze at her as she spoke those words. A chilly feeling crept into the air.

"You didn't agree with what father did?" he asked in his deep voice. "No Gaara neither did Kankuro. But he didn't tell us what he was up to. And once he did it we couldn't take it back." He hung his head in sorrow at her words. "Then why were you both frightened of me all the years we grew up together.?" He asked his voice now husky with emotion. She moved besides him and wrapped her arms around his shoulder. She pulled him close and held him for the first time. He had tensed up at first. "It wasn't you we were afraid of. It was that spirit inside you. We knew you could not control it so we protected you from afar." As she spoke he relaxed. He leaned into her and seemed to become more and more peaceful and serene. "what was I like as a baby.?" She thought about it. "When you were born mother was weak. But she still insisted on holding you. When they wrapped you up and handed you to her you opened up your blue eyes gently. You stared into her eyes and she stared back at you."

Temari paused knowing what would come next would be the most difficult thing she ever told Gaara. "Mother said ' He's beautiful . His name is Gaara.' She leaned down and kissed his forehead. She then seemed to sink further into the bed and she was getting paler. She ran her fingers through your red hair gently and sighed. 'I don't blame you Gaara' she told you. With that she closed her eyes and she was gone. You wailed as soon as she died. You could not be calmed. And the first few weeks of your life were the most difficult. You could not or would not sleep. And because you didn't sleep you didn't let anyone else sleep either. When you sat up for the first time you looked at me and smiled. It was the first smile you ever gave. And one of the last ones."

Temari knew she was crying and hoped he couldn't hear it in her voice or feel it on the top of his head where her chin rested. " I knew then that no matter what you said or did I would protect you as much as I could. I would show you love whenever you let me and I would treat you like every day with you was special in the hopes you might one day have a bond with me. It never seemed liked you cared much for my efforts though. Almost like you thought I was a nuisance. But I understand now That was your way of protecting us. You may not have known it and maybe you thought you didn't love us. But I think you felt love for us all those years you just confused the emotion with something else. That's why you could never kill us all those times you threatened to. That and the spirit inside you did most of the speaking for you. You just confused those thoughts with your own." She was beginning to think he was asleep when he spoke," I think your right. Temari? I'm sorry, I'm sorry I caused you and Kankuro pain all those years." As he speaks she remembers when they got together for a photo. The only one that was ever taken of all three of them.

She rocks him a little and begins to lull him to sleep. He sighs and nestles closer to her. That was the last time she seen him. She knew that she had gotten through finally and that he would be more calm. Maybe he would be closer to them. Now he had been missing for over a week and everyone was worried. Even Baki was worried. Baki was supposed to have started grooming Gaara on being Kazekage. Gaara was next in line after all. With his father being dead and Gaara not properly trained Baki had to take over temporarily. As she steadily approached the spot where the column of sand was she got a big shock. She saw the form of the Shukaku beast made out of sand crouching low over Gaara's body. The reason being was that there was a tremendous sand storm brewing and had threatened to toss Gaara's body like a scrap of cloth. She halted her stallion and pulled her fane off her back.

She swung her fan around and shouted," Wind scythe Jutsu." As the wind from her fan blew forward it thwarted the sand storm and altered the course away from Shukaku and Gaara. Shukaku lifted his head towards her as she trotted up and seemed surprised she saved him. He bowed his muzzle in respect and seemed to disappear. She knelt and picked up Gaara's limp form and noticed he wasn't overly skinny. He was tanned and had gotten food and water from somewhere. She placed him across the back of the stallion. She leapt across his back and grabbed Gaara. As she settling Gaara to an upright position and securing him to her body the others arrived. "Is he okay?' Baki asks anxiously. "He's alive. And not to bad off all things considering." "Good when we can get back to training him the village will be better off."

They slowly trot back to the village so as not to disturb Gaara. After he had awoke he found himself in the care and love of his family. He felt joy for the first time. He bounced back with rapid progress and seemed genuinely happy to have his family around. Once he was completely healed he started his training as the Kazekage. Baki noticed a great change in Gaara and started to enjoy teaching him. He was more patient and ready to learn. The two years pass by really quickly and before they knew the whole village was preparing for the feast which would be in honor of their new Kazekage, Gaara. He had a bad feeling though. Almost like he had accomplished this too easily. He knew to be on his guard over the next following weeks.


	2. Chapter 2

The village was in a constant state of joy at the appointment of the new Kazekage. He represented all that they sought to achieve. The feast was unlike any other and Gaara had to sit through a long speech. "Welcome to the feast of the Kazekage. Now I'm sure we'd all like to welcome our new Kazekage Gaara. Let's hope he makes the right decisions and lead Sunagakure into a bright new future. In the meantime lets talk about this village's glorious past shall we? Temari, Kankuro and Gaara here are direct descendants of the founder of the village. The lord Kemaari traveled here directly following our Daimyo's orders to start this village. He and a band of future villagers settled in this spot. Kemaari was the brother of the Daimyo of this land. The very one who sent him on his journey to make a new village. Kemaari was meant to be the leader of this new village. The Kazekage as he would be later called. Then among the villagers he mated and took a wife."

"She produced a son whom the Kazekage called Kemri. Soon when Kemri was old enough he took over the village from his father. From Kemri came Kaami and Kemi the twins produced by Kemri. Kaami was the daughter of the twins with Kemi being the son. When they were grown up Kemi took over leadership of the village and soon under Kemi's leadership Sunagakure prospered. Then came the birth of Kemlin, your father Gaara. He is the one who took away the prosperity of the village and into the state its in now. He squandered most of the villages resources to try and gain the attention of the Daimyo whom had long since forgot we existed. He married briefly with the marriage ending abruptly. She died giving birth to you Kankuro. Kemlin was distraught and soon found solace in a new woman whom had moved into the village from another one. They soon fell in love and within just a few months time she became pregnant. Desperate for help from the Daimyo he initiated a deadly Jutsu while you were still inside your mother. He thought he was saving the village then. When your mother learned of the plot she knew she would die for you. It made her sad and angry and she wanted to raise you so bad Gaara, I mean Lord Kazekage. The rest is history and as to any questions as to why Kankuro is not Kazekage it was in the lord Kemlin's will that it be Gaara whom leads us. He has the strength to defend us. Thank you for hearing me out as I recount the history of our village."

He was finally finished and he sat down among much clapping. Gaara never knew he was directly descended from a line of Kage's. It made him feel special. He was also stunned to realize he was distantly related to the Daimyo of this land. The party lasts all night. Even after Gaara fell asleep and was carried home people still had reason to celebrate. In the morning Gaara began his first day as Kazekage. He awoke early. 4am early. Despite getting to sleep late he was up way early. He nervously gobbled down a meal and headed out the door. The Icy blast of the nighttime desert air hit him like a ice punch. He shivered and hurried where he was going. As soon as he arrived at the building he quickly opened the door and rushed inside. Looking around he saw the light khaki colored hallway that led to a door way. Next to him was another door. He was not sure which door led where. Glancing at the door to his right he studied it. It was a light blue in colour. Looking at the end of the short hallway the door was white.

He finally just heads down the hallway and opens the door. Once inside he sees rows of books lining the walls and a large desk at the back of the room. A chair sat waiting there were stacks of papers and a sleeping bird. There was a couch nearby the front of the desk and a couple of chairs. This was his fathers office? What was the other door? He goes back down the hall and opens the other door. The room was a bedroom with a big comfy looking bed and dresser. The colours of the room were tan, khaki and beige. All sand colours. The bed was piled high with thick comfy quilts and pillows. The most comfortable bed he ever saw. Leaving the room before he got tired just looking at the bed he goes back to the Kazekage office. He sits down.

He had just sat down and was about to look at the first sheet of paper on the stack in front of him when there was a faint knock on the door. Startled he jumped slightly. Then realizing he was doing nothing wrong he cleared his throat," Come in." In walked three elderly men and one elderly woman. All had white hair and all wore the loose grey robes of the elders. "Morning Lord Kazekage. We are happy to see you so dedicated to your position. We are proud to see you here so early." Nodding he pulls the first piece of paper off the stack. Looking down at the paper he notices it is a request form for him to review. He was just about to start when he heard a knock on the door. He looks up. "Come in," he says. Temari and Kankuro walk in. They glance at the elders and narrow their eyes.

"What do you want? Gaara's here doing his job now you can leave." They move from the corner of the room and leave. Temari and Kankuro walk around behind Gaara and glance down. "Don't let them hang around Gaara. Okay." Gaara nods his head. "This is all overwhelming." he admits. They glance down at the desk in front of him. "Its really not so hard," Kankuro says surprising everyone.

Temari looks at him, "How do you know about this?" Kankuro blushes, "Dad gave me some pointers and well you know…He thought I would be his only son…after mother died and all." Temari gives Kankuro a look like he better shut up. Gaara was confused at first. "Wait if mother died when you were little Kankuro then how.. did.. I?" Temari sighs, " I guess he should know after all it explains a lot." They move around the front of the desk and Temari clears her throat.

"I was born first. Father was kind of angry that his first born was a girl. He wanted a son to rule as Kazekage for when he retired. But I messed everything up. Traditionally the first born are supposed to be male. He wanted to follow histories footsteps and be just like his dad. Then a year later Kankuro was born. You've seen our hospital right Gaara? Well when Kankuro was born our mother bled to death. He was such a large baby she never made it. Anyway your mother eventually showed up and father fell in love with her. You would have been born with her blonde hair except for the fact that the Shukaku needed a sacrifice to keep you alive when you were born."

" We don't have the same mother? " He asks his voice soft with his feelings. The echoes of the night's party swim to the surface of his mind. He remembered that guy saying that now. They shake their heads no. One of the elders sticks his head in and says something about the fact that Gaara had a lot of work and they better leave him alone. They leave and glance back at him curiously to see if he's okay. He doesn't really see or hear any of this till later. The day passes by in numbness as he slowly works his way through the paperwork. He had a lot to think about.

So much had happened and so much learned. He also noticed he had not heard a peep from Shukaku. He didn't know if he should count his blessings or be worried. Looking around he knew he was not going to get anymore done. With a heavy sigh he gets up slowly. Reaching out a hand he pets the breast of the sleeping hawk. "Goodnight", he tells it sleepily. As he moves down the hall he realized he was very tired. All the lost sleep of years past catching up to him.

As he sinks his head on the pillow in the Kage's office he sits up with a sudden thought. _With all this sleeping maybe Shukaku will take over now._ He had to be sure. Going inside himself once more he faces the Shukaku. "If I sleep you wont take over will you?", he asks boldly. "No Gaara," Shukaku says tenderly," Come here" As he cautiously approaches he gets pulled into Shukaku's front paws. Shukaku was laying down. He lays Gaara on his paws and nestles beside him. "Good Night" is the last thing Gaara remembers hearing.

* * * * * *

He stood there the next morning. He stared at the Kazekage office. So much had happened. So much information he found out he never knew. What was his mother like? He slowly approaches the door and grabs the handle. What was he so nervous for? Walking in he closes the door behind him. Was this what it meant to be the Kazekage? Sit in an office all day behind closed doors? That's not what he was going to do. Spending the next few hours doing paperwork. It made him wonder what Baki did while he was here. Baki had been Kage temporarily

There was so much and more seemed to come. Finally he closes his eyes. _Kankuro_, he thinks in his mind. After a few minutes He hears a knock on the door. Without waiting for an answer Kankuro comes in. Sitting down beside Gaara he grabs a stack of papers and helps sort through them. By the end of the evening of the next day working nonstop the paperwork was gone and the fresh ones coming in had slowed to a trickle. He looks at Kankuro with new fascination and slight awe. He never would have gotten out of this by himself and now that he had his beast under control maybe they could be a real family.

Furrowing his brow he realized that there was a better chance of pigs flying than for him to have a normal family. That was the stuff of fairy tales. Stretching he slowly headed for the door. Kankuro watched him the whole time out the corner of his eye. Then as he moved towards the door he reached out and ruffled the top of Gaara's hair. He came to a stop as he felt the unfamiliar touch of affection.

Looking back he saw Kankuro's smile. "You did a great job and never once buckled under the pressure. I'm proud of you, Gaara." Cautiously he looks towards the window to see if a pig was flying or not. Seeing none he shook his head to make sure he was not dreaming. "What's wrong Gaara? Kankuro asks anxiously. "Nothing Kankuro." He moves out the door and into the sudden darkening of the skies. Traveling he reaches his other secret destination in 10 mins.

Looking around nervously he knew no one came here late ate night but still to be better safe than sorry. Striding down the rows of stately marble and granite he found the only odd headstone. Made out of red obsdian it was the only one of its make and colour. Kneeling down in front of the stone he caresses it with a free hand. Leaning closer he nuzzles his cheek against the cool stone. Sighing he shifts most of his body weight against the red stone. "Momma." he sighs contently. He lays there sleepily telling her his progress and exclaiming how he felt as of recently. He tells her how confused he'd been and how he was trying to pick up the shattered pieces of his life.

The next thing he notices was that it was dawn and that he once again fell asleep on his mothers grave. Getting up he stretches and heads home. He half expected a lecture when he got there. He had done this before. "Morning Gaara," Temari greeted. Nervously he sits at the breakfast table awaiting his lecture. It never came. Nor was there any conversation. That was not that unusual. When it came to Gaara and mornings the two did not mix.

Still he half expected some kind of talking to. At the Kazekage office there was nothing to do so he left early and wandered around. He had only been walking for five minutes when he heard a voice. "Lord Kazekage. May I speak with you?" Turning he observes a quiet looking young woman with dirty blonde hair and a slim figure. He felt slightly guilty that he did not recognize her. At least He could hear her out.

"What can I do for you," he says. "I know you don't know me but I have been following you for a while. And while I know you don't know me I am eager to hear about your answer to my proposal." He furrows his brow. He tried to remember all those papers he filled out the last several months. "If it helps any my name is Jaily." she said. Shaking his head he begins," I have been through hundreds of papers in the last…. Putting her hand up she stops him.

"Its alright Lord Kazekage I understand." she seemed so disappointed. Head pounding from the strain of his indecision he let a little moan out of his lips. Just as she was about to grab his hand in concern one of his optic eyes spotted a cloud of dust racing towards the border of the village. Turning on his heels he decides he can at least protect these people even if he could not remember them.

At the edge of the village he watches as the sand kicks up a great fuss from whomever it was that approached. Then as the figure got near a saguaro cactus it stopped and seemed to hide there. Like an ambush on sand was still in his mind. And yes from this distance he could tell it was male. Wrinkling his nose at the very masculine scent he tries to make out his age. Still young, barely a teenager. The young man sat scanning the edge of the village.

He would spot Gaara sooner or later. Then a with a gasp and a stiffening of his back Gaara realized he was finally spotted. The boy moves around out into the open. Just as he does Gaara realizes he was not alone. Seeing him standing at the edge of the village with his arms folded like that alarmed kankuro and Temari. And also that Jaily was with them. Great, just what he needed. An audience.

The lone figure approaches slowly and with hands spread wide open. Gaara knew not to fall for that trick. He narrows his eyes. The young man seen this and his startled eyes reflected his thoughts. Sinking to his knees before Gaara he bows his head low to the ground. "My lord", he acknowledges. Taken off balance Gaara looks at the figure kneeling before him. Something did not feel right. And as those feelings continued to stir within Gaara that was when the first assault happened.

Twirling in surprise he suddenly noticed the mass amount of Raiders poised at the edge of Sand. Thinking quickly he throws up a sand barrier around the village, trapping the villagers inside and them outside. Then he realized he would need back up. But too late they were within the sand sphere now. Moving swiftly from foe to foe he attacked relentlessly. When he saw a group nearby he concentrated. "Giant Sand Burial!" With those gone he moves on. Temari was doing remarkably well on her own. Something still felt wrong to Gaara. These Raiders were too numerous and too hard to kill.

And more kept coming. There was no end to them. Using his kunai he quickly moved between them and planted his kunai in their bellies and pulled upwards. He had done this several times before realizing he no longer felt sharp gusts of wind anymore. Looking he saw Temari exhausted and Kankuro by her side with his puppets. Kankuro opens up crow and hides Temari in there, protecting her and then concentrating on battle. "Gaara!", he shouts over the sound of battle, "They are using something that messes up our chakra really bad. Don't let them touch you."

As he spoke one came out from the clouds of sand behind him and stabbed him in the arm with a long kunai. Eyes widening and feeling his arm go dead Kankuro falls to his knee. Looking up he knew then that his Chakra was messed up. As the Raider was about to deliver his final blow there was a red and black blur behind Kankuro. Looking up the Raider saw Gaara. "Eternal Crimson Sands" he mutters. Slumping the Raider died. Kankuro looked in surprise at Gaara.

What was that move and how had he killed so easily? As they were being surrounded by more of the Raiders Gaara readies himself for more battle. As he raises his kunai Sudden blurs of yellow passes through the enemies followed by blurs of green, pink and white. And before Gaara could blink all the Raiders were gone and all that was left standing before him was Naruto, Rock Lee, and Kakashi. Moving from behind Kakashi he notices Sakura as well. "Hi Gaara! We beat their butts didn't we. Believe it!"


End file.
